Police: No Flat Tire In Firefighter Freeway Death

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BLOOMFIELD TWP. (WWJ) – There are still a lot of unanswered questions surrounding the death of a Ann Arbor firefighter who was killed after being hit multiple times on I-696 in Farmington Hills on Thursday.

Dan Armitage was pulled over on the north shoulder of westbound I-696 near Farmington Road around 6:30 a.m.. Police say at some point Armitage exited his late-model SUV and ended up on the ground in the freeway’s right lane. There, he was struck several times by vehicles unable to avoid him.

Sgt. John Shields with the Metro North post in Oak Park said it’s still early in the investigation, but one thing they have determined is that Armitage did not have a flat tire as it had originally seemed.

“There was approximately 8 to 10 pounds of air pressure in the tire … that wouldn’t negate him from driving the vehicle at that point,” Shields told WWJ Newsradio 950’s Stephanie Davis. “At this juncture we’re not sure if that was the reason he may have pulled over to the shoulder.”

“We didn’t know if there was a different mechanical issue with the vehicle and that was just something that he happened to see,” he said, adding that police have not yet ruled out a medical issue, either.

Armitage was struck by at least three vehicles and the freeway was shut down for several hours following the incident.

The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office was expected to make a ruling in Armitage’s death Friday.

Ann Arbor Fire Chief Chuck Hubbard told WWJ Armitage had been with the department for 16 years and was on his way to being promoted to lieutenant. He leaves behind a wife and three young children.

Meantime Bloomfield Township police say they’re investigating the report of a possible domestic assault at Armitage’s home on Jan 1. However, they’re not commenting further about that until the investigation is complete.